For many years, efforts have been made to create improved musical instruments. Despite such efforts, little change has occurred in the structure and operation of various wind instruments. For example, a recorder is a well-known type of wind instrument made from various materials such as wood, plastic and metal. It has a mouthpiece and an elongated body with air holes (i.e., apertures) that are selectively covered by a player's fingers during playing of the recorder. Music is produced from a recorder by blowing air through the mouthpiece and adjusting the pitch by covering one or more of the air holes.
Recorders are often used in the classroom setting for music education. The recorder is an optimal instrument for teaching students how to play music as its structure is simple and relatively easy for beginners to learn how to produce pleasant-sounding music in a relatively short period of time.
In order to promote additional interest in music, and in wind instruments such as recorders in particular, some efforts have been made to create improved products. For example, one desirable commercial recorder is sold under the trademark KINGSLEY by Macie Publishing Company of Rockaway, N.J. Various models of KINGSLEY recorders are available. Notwithstanding the differences between models of KINGSLEY recorders, a need still exists for an improved recorder structure.
Other parties have created recorders, flutes and various string instruments having an illumination source such as separately attachable light units or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Examples of such products are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,373 to Novo; U.S. Pat. No. 6,225,344 to Sciortino; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,408 to Suzuki.
Notwithstanding the prior efforts to create desirable lighted instruments, a need still exists for an improved musical instrument, such as an improved recorder or the like, with a light source secured thereon to enhance playing of the instrument. Such an improved musical instrument will generate student enthusiasm, interest in music and the desire to learn, play and to practice playing on a new “cool” musical instrument. Further, a musical instrument with a light-emitting display will also provide an added interest in the playing of such instrument because it can incorporate into and enhance the performance of the musical selection being played, for example, use of a colored light display. Patriotic musical selections particularly lend themselves to the use of such lighting displays with the given patriotic musical selection. The present invention addresses such musical instruments with a light source for these objects and advantages.